Chinese associations provide a range of services to their members. These include commercial chambers of commerce whose membership overlaps, to some extent, with hometown associations; industry associations that host Chinese state-owned enterprises; and semi-official associations affiliated with embassies.
New Chinese migrants associate with one another through these organisations for economic and political reasons. They seek to access the political arena through these groups by seeking favours from Beijing via their embassy contacts.
Founded in 1892
In 1883, Wong Chin Foo encouraged Chinese to apply for American citizenship in order to gain the right to vote and to lobby politicians. He also organized those who had the right to vote, bringing them together in New York. He challenged Denis Kearney, a leader of the anti-Chinese movement who had helped to draft the Chinese Exclusion Act, to an open debate and successfully defeated him.
Throughout this time, the Cleveland community continued to keep its Chinese values and traditions. The Old Stone Church worked with the Chinese, conducting Sunday schools and helping with business problems.
With the nationwide depression of 1884, American labor unions started to target Chinese businesses and workers as scapegoats, blaming them for the poor economic conditions. Trade union flyers such as those featured in document 1 began to be circulated, encouraging a boycott of Chinese businesses. These anti-Chinese movements were pushed by the Workingmen’s Party of California, which had made opposition to cheap Chinese labor its primary objective.
Branches in Hong Kong and Shanghai
The Shanghai branch of the China Association acts as liaison office with the Chinese people, contact office for foreign organizations and individuals, and a platform of mutual exchanges on political affairs, trade, economy, science and technology, culture and education. Its activities have earned support and endowment from all circles of the community.
The Branch organizes and conducts joint research for technological breakthroughs, system integration and leading the development of strategic emerging industries. It is committed to long-term accumulation in priority fields including synthetic biology, alternative energy and new materials.
The Branch has developed long and stable cooperative relationships with American, Canadian and European Chamber of Commerce in China, E Financial Careers, Korea Business and Taiwan Region. It also regularly receives delegations from Mainland and overseas financial institutes. The Branch is responsible for approving visa applications for foreign correspondents working in Shanghai, as well as coordinating matters pertaining to foreign-related conferences held in Shanghai. The Branch is a key liaison office with the Chinese media.
Executive Committee
The organization aims to promote Chinese culture and strengthen social and cultural ties. In addition, it helps Chinese Americans succeed academically and professionally. CAAM also provides a variety of community service programs, including after-school programs and English language classes. It also offers scholarships for college students.
The executive committee is elected bi-annually and serves on a volunteer basis. Members are scholars, teachers and students of communication and related disciplines. The association is affiliated with the National Communication Association and the International Federation of Communication associations.
Laurie Haupt, an alumna of the BYU Chinese Flagship Program, has worked on several U.S.-China exchange programs. She finds great satisfaction in helping people expand their horizons and make lasting friendships across cultures and languages. She is currently a policy analyst with the Utah Department of Commerce. She hopes to continue her work on China-American exchange through her involvement with the China-America Student Conference. She believes it is a valuable opportunity for American students to learn more about China.
Membership
Membership allows individuals to participate in all areas of the Chinese community and its many activities. Members are able to attend cultural events and social gatherings, and also receive discounts for family programming, unique exhibitions, language classes, business forums, and more.
In addition, members are eligible to serve on ICSA committees and to vote for ICSA officers. ICSA members also have free access to Statistica Sinica and Statistics in Biosciences, as well as ICSA electronic Member News. They may also participate in CCS conferences based on their communication preference.
The China Association is a non-profit, nonpolitical organization registered in New York City and New York State. Its membership is comprised of professionals in science and technology, education, business, law, medicine, art, and other fields. The organization is a major source of information and exchanges between Americans and Chinese. It is a valuable resource for those seeking to learn about Chinese culture, history, and society. Founded in 1892, the association has a rich legacy and is a great place to begin your research.